Clamshell gate for containers



June 1941- L. H. GARLINGHQUSE .2 .354

CLAMSHELL GATE FOR CONTAINERS Filed May 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. L. H. GARLmcnausE BY 46 W ATT EY.

.Hmme 17, 1941..

L. H. GARLINGHOUSE CLAMSHELL GATE FOR CONTAINERS Filed May 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. L. H. GARLINGHOUSE ATTO EY.

Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAMSHELL GATE FOR. CONTAINERS Leslie H. Garlinghouse, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,824

7 Claims.

This invention relates to clamshell gates for containers.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved gate of the clamshell type which is sturdy and strong so that it does not get out of order and which provides a tight seal ,for the contained material.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a container for material such. as concrete having a novel reinforced lower discharge end.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel pivoted gate structure including a novel arrangement of spring means for holding the gate members closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gate for a container wherein novel means is provided for sealing th joint between the container and the gate and between the gate members.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent from the' following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary end view of a hopper embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view of a hopper with the gates removed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 33, Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary central sectional view through the hub of one of the gates;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the construction of the shaft;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the shaft;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line |'I of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the hopper shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the seal formed adjacent to the inner section of the two gate members;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lower corner of the hopper and gate showing the seal; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 8 with the hopper filled with concrete.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have shown my invention as embodied in a concrete hopper which is indicated generally at IU although it will be understood that the invention may be employed in connection with other types of apparatus. As shown the hopper is in the shape of an inverted frustrum of a pyramid and includes sides ll each having a reinforcing rim l2 welded thereto at its top and bottom as at I3. The rim l2 projects below the lower weld l3. A second rim I has its upper portion welded to the rim l2 as at l5 (see Fig. 8). The lower edge of the rim l4 projects below the lower weld l5.

The hopper l0 further includes an upper collar l6 disposed a predetermined distance from the bottom. The collar l6 includes an inwardly directed flange H. The inner edge of the flange l1 and the upper edge of the collar l6 are weld ed as at l8 and I9 to the hopper. A support having a lower inwardly directed flange 2| is arranged a predetermined distance below the collar H5. at 22.

The hopper includes pairs of shafts 23 which are axially aligned in pairs. Each shaft includes an outer reduced end 24 threaded as at 25 and an inner cylindrical end 26. The shafts have their ends 26 arranged in apertures 21 in a plate 28. There are two plates 28 shown. Each plate is rectangular and the apertures are arranged in side by side relation in th plates. A channel member 29 is welded to each plate 23 as at 23. Each channel member includes apertures 30 aligned with the apertures 21 in the plate 28. The apertures 30 receive the shafts 23 and serve as reinforcing members for the shafts.

The plates 23 are welded as at 3| to the supports 20 with the axles in alignment. Axle supports 32 are bolted as at 33 or otherwise secured to the upper collar Hi and extend downwardly. The supports 32 include apertures 34 which are aligned with the shafts 23 and in which the reduced ends 24 of the axles are fitted. Nuts 35 hold the plates 32 in place.

The shafts 23 pivotally support arms 36 which ar made in the form of fiat plates with a hub 31 thereon apertured as at 38 to receive the shaft 23. Each arm includes a peripheral rim 39 and at the upper end of the arms the rim portions include segmental teeth 40 which on adjacent arms are in mesh. The arms further include projecting bosses M on which bolts 42 are mounted. The bolts 42 are engaged by the ends of springs 43 so that th arms are constantly urged together. Any suitable construction may be employed for causing the arms to separate to thereby open the gates.

At the lower end of each arm the rim is arcu- The support is welded in place as ate as at ll on radii the centers of which coincide with the axis of the shafts 23. The lower edges of the lower rims I! have arcuate ends 45 as shown in Fig. 2. These edges 45 are struck with the axis of the shafts 23 as the center. Curved gate plates 46 are mounted on the rim portions 44 being held in place by bolts 41.

The gates have their centers coincident with the axes of the shafts 23. The gate plates have plane inner edges 48 (see Fig. 9) which are in engagement thus forming a V-shaped pocket 49. The lower edges of the lower collar H which extend parallel to the axis of the shafts 23 likewise have plane edges 50 (see Fig. 10) thus forming pockets with the adjacen curved upper wall of the gate plates 46.

Also the lower edges of the lower rim H which extend transverse to the axis of the shafts 23 have plane edges 52 (see Fig. 11) so that pockets 53 are formed between the edges 52 and the adjacent edges of the gate plates 46. With my improved construction the spring 43 serves to maintain a tight joint since this spring serves to hold the gate plates together,

Further with the plane faces on the gate plates and lower rim forming the pockets 59, Si and 53 I further increase the tightness of the joint since with the construction shown the water in the concrete or grout in the hopper leaks out of the pockets when the hopper is first filled thus depositing a dam of grout in the pockets to thereby seal the joints against further leakage.

With my construction I provide a tight seal and due to novel arrangement of reinforcements including the upper and lower collars and the superimposed welded rims I strengthen the gate portions so that they are heavily reinforced and the weight of the contents does not cause distortion and binding of the close fitting gates.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented a novel gate construction for hoppers, etc., which can be economically manufactured and which is highly efficient for its intended purpose.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a gate construction a hopper including opposed sides and ends, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on each opposed side of said hopper, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairs, interengaging teeth on each pair of arms, spring means normally pulling said arms together, a reinforcing rim engaging the sides and ends of the hopper adjacent the bottom of said hopper and entirely surrounding the same, said arms being disposed outside of said reinforcing rim, and a pair of gate plates mounted on said arms and movable to engage the lower edges of the reinforcing rim.

2. In a gate construction, a hopper having a collar thereon, a support on opposed sides of said hopper below the collar, a plate mounted on each support at opposite sides of the hopper, a channel member mounted on each plate, said plates and said channel members having a pair of apertures therein, a shaft fixed in each of said apertures, a shaft support mounted on the collar above each channel and extending downwardly, said shaft support having apertures receiving said shafts, an arm pivotally mounted on each ,of said shafts, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairs, interengaging teeth on each pair of arms, a spring having its ends attached to each pair of arms and normally pulling said arms together, and a pair of gate plates mounted on said arms.

8. In a gate construction, a support on opposed sides of said hopper, a plate mounted on each support at opposite sides of the hopper, a channel member mounted on each plate, said plates and said channel members each havin a pair of apertures therein, a shaft fixed in each of said apertures, a. shaft support mounted above each channel and extending downwardly, said shaft support having apertures receiving said shafts, an arm pivotally mounted on each of said shafts, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairs, interengaging teeth on each pair of arms, means normally pulling said arms together, a rim adjacent the bottom of said hopper, and a pair of gate plates mounted on said arms and movable to engage the rim lower edges.

4. In a gate construction, a hopper having a collar thereon, a support on opposed sides of said hopper below said collar, a plate mounted on each support at opposite sides of the hopper, a channel member mounted on each plate, said plates and said channel members each having a pair of apertures therein, a shaft fixed in each of said apertures, a shaft support mounted on the collar above each channel and extending downwardly, said shaft support having apertures receiving said shafts, an arm pivotally mounted on each of said shafts, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairs, interengaging teeth on each pair of arms, a spring having its ends attached to each pair of arms and normally pulling said arms together, a rim adjacent the bottom of said hopper and surrounding the same, a second rim on said first rim and projecting below the first rim, and a pair of gate plates mounted on said arms and movable to engage the lower edges of the lower rim.

5. In a gate construction, a hopper, supports on opposed sides of said hopper, a pair of shafts mounted on each support, an arm pivotally mounted on each of said shafts, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairsinterengaging teeth on each pair of arms, a spring having its ends attached to each pair of arms and normally pulling said arms together, a rim adjacent the bottom of said hopper and surrounding the same, a second rim on said first rim and projecting below the first rim, said lower rim adjacent said arms having the opposed lower edges beneath said-shafts shaped to form two arcuate adjoining surfaces, a pair of gate plates mounted on said arms and curved to correspond to the curvature of the lower rim arcuate edges, said gate plates having plane meeting edges forming a V-shaped pocket, said opposed portions of the lower rim sloping inwardly and said lower rim lower edges being plane and perpendicular to the outer surface of the rim to form V-shaped pockets in conjunction with the adjacent portions of the gate plates.

6. In a gate construction, a hopper having a collar thereon, a support on opposed sides of said hopper below the collar, a plate mounted on each support at opposite sides of the hopper, a channel member mounted on each plate, said plates and said channel members having a pair of apertures therein, a shaft fixed in each of said apertures, a shaft support mounted on the collar above each channel and extending downwardly, said shaft support having apertures receiving said shafts, an arm pivotally mounted on each of said shafts, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairs, interengaging teeth on each pair of arms, means normally pulling said arms together, a rim adjacent the bottom of said hopper and surrounding the same, a second rim on said first rim and projecting below the first rim, said lower rim adjacent said arms having the opposed lower edges beneath said shafts shaped to iorm two arcuate adjoining surfaces, 9. pair of gate plates mounted on said arms and curved to correspond to the curvature of the lower rim arcuate edges, said gate plates having plane meeting edges forming a V-shaped pocket, said opposed portions of the lower rim sloping inwardly and said lower rim lower edges being plane and perpendicular to the outer surface of the rim to form V-shaped pockets in conjunction with the adjacent portions of the gate plates.

7. In a gate construction, a hopper having a collar thereon, a support on opposed sides of said hopper below said collar, a plate mounted on each support at opposite sides of the hopper, a channel member mounted on each plate, said plates and said channel members each having a pair of apertures therein, a shaft fixed in each of said apertures, a shaft support removably mounted on the collar above each channel and extending downwardly, said shaft supports having apertures receiving said shafts, said shafts having threaded end portions, nuts on said end portions engaging said shalt supports, an arm pivotally mounted on each of said shafts, said arms being arranged in adjacent pairs, interengaging teeth on each pair of arms, a spring having its ends attached to each pair of arms and normally pulling said arms together, a rim adjacent the bottom of said hopper and surrounding the same, a second rim on said first rim and projecting below the first rim, said lower rim adjacent said arms having the opposed lower edges beneath said shafts shaped to form two arcuate adjoining surfaces, a pair of gate plates mounted on said arms and curved to correspond to the curvature of the lower rim arcuate edges, said gate plates having plane meeting edges forming a V-shaped pocket, said opposed portions of the lower rim sloping inwardly and said lower rim lower edges being plane and perpendicular to the outer surface of the rim teform V-shaped pockets in conjunction with the adjacent portions of the gate plates.

LESLIE H. GARLINGHOUSE. 

